Johan Kotzé admits shooting stepson

Pretoria - Alleged "Modimolle Monster" Johan Kotzé admitted shooting his stepson, but claimed he had not taken aim and that "a shot had gone off".

This was the version put to Kotzé's former wife Ina Bonette by Kotzé's lawyer Bernard Bantjes in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Thursday.

Kotze, Andries Sithole, Pieta Mohlane and Frans Mphaka are accused of murdering Bonette's son Conrad, 19, and kidnapping, repeatedly raping, assaulting and attempting to murder Bonette on 3 January this year.

Bonette denied Kotzé's claims that it had been her idea to phone her son to come to the house, and that she had shown the number on her phone to Kotze. According to Kotze, he had told Conrad his mother wanted him to come to the house.

Bantjes said according to Kotzé he could not remember everything that well, but he could remember falling asleep next to Bonette on the bed.

He claimed he saw Conrad outside after Bonette woke him up to tell him there was a knock at the door.

While he was peeping out of the window, he "felt there was a rifle".

Kotzé's version was that Conrad wanted to know where his mother was and that Kotzé picked up the rifle before following the teenager down the passage.

"Just before he was about to enter the room where you were, Conrad asked, down the passage, where his mother was. The accused was startled and turned in Conrad's direction.

"Conrad said something like 'no, don't'. He went into the room next door.

"The accused followed him and stood in the door. Then Conrad said 'please uncle, don't' for a second time.

"The accused cannot remember taking aim, but a shot went off. He was startled. He saw Conrad going down on his haunches.

"The accused remembers sitting in the passage against the wall at one stage. He does not know what he did with the firearm.

"He can remember leaving the house and falling. He does not remember how long he lay there, but he remembers feeling too weak to get up," Bantjes said.

Bonette had testified that she had heard her son begging for mercy, followed by a shot. She heard him begging for mercy again, followed by two more shots.

She was unable to talk to Kotzé during the ordeal because her mouth had been taped shut. She told the court she was convinced Kotzé had planned the whole thing.

The trial continues.

'Monster': I never wanted to hurt my wife

Pretoria - Alleged "Modimolle Monster" Johan Kotzé never intended hurting his former wife but could not control himself, the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria heard on Thursday.

This emerged from statements made by Kotzé's advocate Bernard Bantjes to Kotzé's former wife Ina Bonette.

Kotzé, Andries Sithole, Pieta Mohlane and Frans Mphaka are accused of murdering Bonette's 19-year-old son Conrad and of kidnapping, repeatedly raping, assaulting and trying to murder her in January of this year.

They have all pleaded not guilty.

'Tried to help'

Bantjes put it to Bonette that his client could remember "hurting her nipple" with pliers and "slowly and uncertainly" pushing a needle into her one breasts.

Kotzé became frightened when he saw blood and tried to help her by stopping the blood with medication.

Kotzé claimed he was also frightened and was very upset when he later read in the newspapers that both of Bonette's nipples had been "snipped".

Bonette testified earlier that Kotzé had sawn off both her nipples during a prolonged torture session.

Life without parole in the meanest prison we have. What a piece of shyte.